On Biden
It took me a while to warm up to Joe Biden’s candidacy. I liked the man and found his story compelling, but I thought he was past his prime. Out of the gate, I supported Kamala Harris. When she dropped out, I shifted my support to Amy Klobuchar. I watched each of the debates, waiting to see which of the Democratic candidates would get traction and pull ahead of the pack.
Elizabeth Warren was clearly the best debater on the stage, and she had the most fleshed out platform, including her simple to understand wealth tax. If these were the only criteria, she would have emerged from this contest as the winner. I don’t doubt that sexism was one of the factors holding her back. For my part, I see her more as a legislator than an executive.
The Progressive wing of the Democratic Party is growing, but they are still the minority. This voting bloc, made up mostly of young voters, is not a proven commodity. We simply don’t know if they will turn out and vote consistently. The Moderate wing is still the party's dominant faction. They waited with bated breath for Joe Biden to get momentum after a slow start in Iowa and New Hampshire. Biden’s strong finish in South Carolina was the sign they were waiting for. Once the other moderates, including Klobuchar and Buttigieg, dropped out, Biden had a clear path for the nomination.
I believe that, long term, the Progressive vision is the right one. We need to do better by workers. We need to turn the tide against climate change. The wealthy need to pay more in taxes. In 2020, however, there was an overriding fear: Donald Trump must not win re-election. Trump has taken the country far in the wrong direction. The electorate craved a return to normalcy. They did not want to take a chance on Warren or Sanders. Even Moderates like Klobuchar were too risky. Biden was the safest harbor out there.
I had about 24 hours between the moment Klobuchar dropped out of the race to when I had to step up into the booth to vote in the California primary. I gave Sanders serious consideration. I know that’s who my children supported. In the end, I followed Klobuchar’s lead and voted for Biden.
In the last few months, Biden has eased some of my worries. He’s made some strong speeches, especially the one at the convention after he accepted the nomination. I was pleased that he brushed aside the pointed attacks in the early debates and picked Harris as his running mate. Early in the campaign, I had a Harris sticker in the back window of my car that read “Joyful Warrior.” I took it down when she dropped out, but when Biden picked her for VP, I put it back up.
Next up: the debates. There are legitimate concerns that Trump can rattle Biden with absurd, below-the-belt attacks. To get ready, Biden needs to bring in a brash New Yorker as a debate sparring partner. Anthony Scaramucci would be perfect.
As a reminder, Good Reads took away my ability to see how many times my posts have been read. The only way I will know that you read this is if you press “like” and leave a comment. I encourage you to do so.
Stay tuned!
Elizabeth Warren was clearly the best debater on the stage, and she had the most fleshed out platform, including her simple to understand wealth tax. If these were the only criteria, she would have emerged from this contest as the winner. I don’t doubt that sexism was one of the factors holding her back. For my part, I see her more as a legislator than an executive.
The Progressive wing of the Democratic Party is growing, but they are still the minority. This voting bloc, made up mostly of young voters, is not a proven commodity. We simply don’t know if they will turn out and vote consistently. The Moderate wing is still the party's dominant faction. They waited with bated breath for Joe Biden to get momentum after a slow start in Iowa and New Hampshire. Biden’s strong finish in South Carolina was the sign they were waiting for. Once the other moderates, including Klobuchar and Buttigieg, dropped out, Biden had a clear path for the nomination.
I believe that, long term, the Progressive vision is the right one. We need to do better by workers. We need to turn the tide against climate change. The wealthy need to pay more in taxes. In 2020, however, there was an overriding fear: Donald Trump must not win re-election. Trump has taken the country far in the wrong direction. The electorate craved a return to normalcy. They did not want to take a chance on Warren or Sanders. Even Moderates like Klobuchar were too risky. Biden was the safest harbor out there.
I had about 24 hours between the moment Klobuchar dropped out of the race to when I had to step up into the booth to vote in the California primary. I gave Sanders serious consideration. I know that’s who my children supported. In the end, I followed Klobuchar’s lead and voted for Biden.
In the last few months, Biden has eased some of my worries. He’s made some strong speeches, especially the one at the convention after he accepted the nomination. I was pleased that he brushed aside the pointed attacks in the early debates and picked Harris as his running mate. Early in the campaign, I had a Harris sticker in the back window of my car that read “Joyful Warrior.” I took it down when she dropped out, but when Biden picked her for VP, I put it back up.
Next up: the debates. There are legitimate concerns that Trump can rattle Biden with absurd, below-the-belt attacks. To get ready, Biden needs to bring in a brash New Yorker as a debate sparring partner. Anthony Scaramucci would be perfect.
As a reminder, Good Reads took away my ability to see how many times my posts have been read. The only way I will know that you read this is if you press “like” and leave a comment. I encourage you to do so.
Stay tuned!
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